Measure a Yard or Garden

In this guide you will learn how to plan and measure gardens with Moasure.

For this guide, we're measuring a garden of approximately 12 x 8 meters. If we plan to stop every 6 meters, which will be approximately every 6 seconds, we will expect to stop approximately 16 times. Another part of planning is thinking about what Path Type(s) we will be using. If the garden is rectangular, we can use Straight Line. If our garden features any curves, however, we need to use Trace Line so we can capture the curved edges. If our garden has edges that are straight at some places and curved at others, we can use a combination of straight and trace lines. We can change the Path Type at the start of the measurement and after each pause point (the point at which we place the device down). Last but not least, we need to consider any objects that might be in our way, so that we can plan ahead how best to avoid them. If we use Straight Line, we can walk around an object and our movement will not be captured, as Moasure will draw a straight line between the pause points – this can be useful when navigating large obstacles, as we can select 'Ignore Line' while measuring or ignore a pause point once the measurement is complete, depending on the application. If we use Trace Line, however, the device will capture our exact movement.

Bear in mind that ignored paths cannot be labelled, so if you're interested in labelling where an object starts and ends, you may want to use Straight Line to capture the length of the object, then label where the object starts and ends. Learn more about Labeling in our Edit Label Guide.

We're going to use the Closed Shape Measurement Type, as we will be starting and ending at the same point, and because we're interested in getting the square footage of the garden. Square feet can only be seen when using the Closed Shape Measurement Type. There are no curvatures in the outline of the garden, so we used Straight Line for each Path.

Measuring An Irregular-Shaped Yard With Layers

In this video tutorial, learn how to use the 'Layers', 'Ignore' and 'Extrapolate Corner' features to measure an irregular-shaped yard full of tricky obstacles, using the Moasure device without using a STICK.

Measuring an Obstacle-Filled Yard with Moasure

Start by walking around the site, clearing objects out of the way where possible, and identifying suitable placement areas. In tricky terrain, it can be easier to use the Moasure device without the STICK, as it enables you to avoid accidental impacts that could affect measurement accuracy; to use Moasure without the STICK, go to Settings, tap Measuring Options, then under Other, tap 'Use Moasure Stick Attachment' then tap 'No'.

To start measuring, open the Moasure app and tap the + icon – once it turns red, place the device at a memorable starting point. The default Starting Path Type will be ‘Straight Line’, unless you have already changed this in your Settings – you can change path type now and also when stationary at a pause point. When the LED indicator turns from red to green, move at pace to the next point and place the Moasure device down quickly, gently aligning the reference point with the edge.

If an obstacle stops you from placing the Moasure device in the desired location, you can pause in a more accessible location instead, then ignore this point once the measurement is complete. Additionally, if there are any inaccessible corners in your yard like in the video, you can use the Extrapolate Corner tool once your measurement is complete – in order to do this, make sure you capture at least two points on each side leading into the corner. Finish capturing the perimeter of the site, returning to the original starting point to complete the measurement; to end the measurement, tap the red stop icon, then tap ‘File’ and ‘Save’.

You can now edit your measurement diagram using the app tools. Use the Ignore tool to remove any irrelevant points – simply tap the selected point, tap edit, scroll to the right and select the ignore tool. This will remove the selected point as if it wasn't captured. Once the point is ignored, the app will automatically connect the points before and after it, creating an adjusted line. To extrapolate a corner, firstly, remove any extra pause points using the ‘Ignore’ method, then tap on the diagonal line to highlight the selected edge, tap edit, scroll across and tap ‘Ext. Corner’, which will add in the missing corner based on the angles of the measurement segments. Once you have the yard's true perimeter and area, save the updated measurement by either overwriting the existing file or saving it as a new file.

To capture another layer, tap on Layers in the bottom-right corner of the app, then tap ‘Add Layer’. Return to the shared origin, which is where you started measuring the yard’s perimeter, then capture a second point along this same edge – the path type will automatically switch to Ignore Line. Change the path type to suit the next layer, whether that’s Trace Line, Arc or Wall Mode, remembering to rename and save each additional layer.

Once all your layers have been measured and your measurement diagram is complete, tap File, Export and select your chosen file format.